


Entangled

by pinkevilbob



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tangled (2010) Fusion, F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 11:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17641928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkevilbob/pseuds/pinkevilbob
Summary: Caleb had only meant to steal his books back, but instead he found found a mysterious girl with impossibly long blue hair.





	Entangled

**Author's Note:**

> So I was talking to folks on the widojest love discord and we were all hashing out a Tangled AU and I was all welp, I'm not going to write anything for that. And here I am with a one shot. Here you go guys.

It was supposed to be simple: go back to Rexxentrum, break into Trent Ikithon's tower, steal back Calebs old spellbooks, escape. Simple. Well, maybe not simple, but straight forward. Caleb specifically chose that day since he knew that Ikithon would not be there that month, and he expressly forbade anyone to enter the tower without him. So, to put it mildly, Caleb was surprised to come face to face with a pretty girl there.

She was a tiefling, shorter and pudgier than him, with impossibly long blue hair. If Caleb had to guess, he'd estimate it to be 72 feet long, but that was not remotely possible. "What are you doing here?" she asked leaning in close to him. "Father didn't say anything about someone coming here today."

"I was sent here," Caleb lied his mind racing. Master Ikithon never mentioned anything about having a daughter, but Caleb couldn't imagine that she was referring to anyone else. Ikithon was the only one living in the tower. Well, except for this girl apparently. "I needed to gather some things for Master Ikithon."

"Ah, okay," the girl said sounding a little disappointed. "What's the secret password?"

Caleb gave it some though. What kind of password would Trent Ikithon use with his daughter? He rubbed his arms and then an idea hit him. "Master Ikithon told me it was the greatest of gems - diamond."

Ikithon's daughter frowned for a moment, but it left quickly. "We don't have a password." Caleb swore mentally; it was a trap. "That means you're breaking in here." She seemed oddly excited to have discovered an intruder.

"It's nothing like that," Caleb said. "I'm a student of his, and there's something I need to get back."

"A student?" She pouted. "That's boring. Are you sure you're not some renowned cat burglar or reformed thief forced to commit one last heist against their will or something?"

Caleb shook his head and tried to hide his confusion(where was she getting these ideas?). "No, just a student."

Ikithon's daughter frowned a little more(Caleb had to admit that she was cute with that little scowl). "Oh!" She brightened up once more. "Are you here on a dare? Or maybe a prank?"

"No, I just need to get my books back. Master Ikithon was keeping them safe for me, but I need to get them back before I can go."

"Go? You're running away?"

Caleb swore under his breath. The last thing he needed was this girl to report him to Ikithon. He was almost tempted to leave without his spell books, but they were too precious to abandon. "It's more complicated than that."

She paced the floor careful not to get tangled up in her hair. "No, you're a young student once full of promise and gifts, but you couldn't make it in the cruel world of academia, and rather than get chewed up and spat out, you're taking fate into your own hands." She smiled at him like she solved a complicated puzzle. "Take me with you!"

"What?" Caleb asked flatly. He could barely keep up with her.

"Right, so every year, there's a bunch of floating lights and they dance out there." She pointed out the window towards the sea. "And it's always on my birthday, so I should totally get to see them in person, but my father says it's too dangerous for me to leave the tower. But I've had over twenty birthdays already and my birthday's next week, so I need you to take me with you to see them."

Caleb stared at her trying to figure out what she was talking about. "Do you mean that sky lanterns of Nicodranas? I can't take you there. I don't even know your name and you certainly don't know mine."

"I'm Jester," she said sweetly holding out her hand to him. "What's your name?"

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Caleb Widogast."

"Well, Caleb Widogast, you're going to take me to see the lights and then home. If you don't, then I call my father right now and you'll get in trouble," Jester said.

The blood drained from Caleb's face. He'd be lucky if he was only in trouble. "Please don't. I can't take you. Master Ikithon would be sure to notice your absence."

Jester froze and for a moment she looked scared, but it passed quickly. "He's off on official business and won't be here for at least a month." That was why Caleb chose now to get his books back, but that did not make him want to go through with this madness. "So nothing to worry about."

"There's always something to worry about," Caleb said. "Does your father take good care for you?" He asked the question before really think about it.

"Well, yeah," she said, but there was that frown again for just a second. "I mean it's super lonely here and I'm not allowed any friends or visitors or a puppy. Oh! But I do have the Traveler!" Jester ran off, and before Caleb had time to to decide on whether he should just sneak out then, she returned holding a strange lizard. "The Traveler!" she whispered in a voice full of worship and awe.

Caleb fought the urge to frown. "Hello?" He held out his finger and the lizard shook it. "But your father spends time with you right? I mean he'd read to you stories and such, right?"

"Not really. See, he's always been super busy and important and stuff, but it's okay cause when he's not around I get to play with the Traveler." Jester held the lizard up to her ear. "He says he likes you, so you should definitely take us to the lights."

Caleb's arguments dried up. As awful as it was to be Ikithon's student, being his child was probably far worse. "Fine, I will take you to the lights," he said, "but first I'm getting my books."

"Okay, but I'm keeping them until our deal is done," Jester said.

"That's fine with me," Caleb said. "I'll get my books after I take you to the lights."

Jester beamed at him. "Thank you!" She wrapped him in a big hug and lifted him off the floor. It took him by surprise, but he found himself smiling anyways.

That settled it. He would find her a safe place in Nicodranas and it really wasn't tricking her if he didn't agree to take her home. Part of him felt guilty for lying to her, but it was for her own good. Jester would probably forgive Caleb eventually, and if she didn't, it didn't really matter anyways. It wasn't like she was important to him.


End file.
